Video interviews definitely have their benefits. They enable you to meet job candidates who may not live nearby or provide you with an opportunity to interview in the comfort of your own home. Even with these conveniences, though, there are times when it may be more beneficial to you as well as the job interview process to have candidates conduct pre-recorded video interviews.

What is a pre-recorded video interview?

A pre-recorded video interview, also called a One-Way Interview, is yet another creative way to interview prospective job candidates without all of the hassle typically associated with this process. You can invite up to 25 candidates to participate in a single pre-recorded video interview. As you are aware, interviewing 25 different candidates can take days, if not weeks, to accomplish. With pre-recorded video interviews, you can significantly decrease the time it takes to interview prospective job candidates.

What do you need to provide on your part for a pre-recorded video interview?

The job video interview requires one thing of you: a list of questions. You can ask up to 10 in a single invitation. These questions are just like those you would ask in a face-to-face job interview: tell me about yourself, what are your biggest weaknesses, how will you work to be an asset to this company?

With Spark Hire’s pre-recorded video interview services, you can save questions and use the same question templates over and over. Again, this takes a lot of the prep work and time out of the interview and candidate selection process.

How do you analyze a pre-recorded video interview?

Analyzing one-way video interviews is just like assessing real-time video or face-to-face interviews. You are judging candidates on their appearance and preparedness as well as their answers to your questions. Like a real-time video interview or resume, you also want to make sure they’ve taken the necessary considerations to making a great first impression.

Are they answering the questions from a crowded coffeehouse or a quiet room? Did they bother to dress professionally or do they look like they just rolled out of bed? Do they sound like a candidate that would be capable in the role and adaptable to your company culture?

What are the next steps after viewing a pre-recorded video interview?

After viewing all of the video interviews, narrow down your list to whichever candidates stuck out to you. At that point, it’s totally up to you whether or not to consider a live video interview or an in-person interview as a prerequisite to a potential job offer.

Whatever the case, one-way video interviews enable you to look at job candidates on a level playing field. You’re better able to discover which candidates are worth a second look before actually bringing them into the office. And with that, you have a better chance of filling that open position a little more quickly and with the best possible person.